[Genesis 42]
{42:1} Then Jacob, hearing that food was being sold in Egypt, said to his sons: “Why are you negligent?

Jacob's eldest sons where negligent to go to Egypt, the land where their brother Joseph was going to end up after being sold by them.

{42:2} I have heard that wheat is being sold in Egypt. Go down and buy necessities for us, so that we may be able to live, and not be consumed by destitution.”
{42:3} And so, when ten brothers of Joseph went down to buy grain in Egypt,
{42:4} Benjamin was kept at home by Jacob, who said to his brothers, “Lest perhaps he may suffer harm on the journey.”

Jacob really loved his son Joseph and he was greatly saddened when he heard the news that he was killed (which was a lie by his other sons), so he decided to keep his other son with his wife Raquel, Benjamin, the youngest of them all. Jacob also loved Benjamin very much.

{42:5} And they entered into the land of Egypt with the others who traveled to buy. For the famine was in the land of Canaan.
{42:6} And Joseph was governor in the land of Egypt, and grain was sold under his direction to the people. And when his brothers had reverenced him
{42:7} and he had recognized them, he spoke harshly, as if to foreigners, questioning them: “Where did you come from?” And they responded, “From the land of Canaan, to buy necessary provisions.”
{42:8} And although he knew his brothers, he was not known by them.

This task of administering the food that was to be sold was appointed to Joseph, he was in charge. Then Joseph recognized his brothers but they didn't recognized him, of course, so many years have already passed and Joseph must have had a new appearance or countenance.

{42:9} And remembering the dreams, which he had seen in another time, he said to them: “You are scouts. You have come in order to see which parts of the land are weaker.”
{42:10} And they said: “It is not so, my lord. But your servants have arrived in order to buy food.
{42:11} We are all sons of one man. We have come in peace, nor do any of your subjects devise evil.”

Joseph recognized them but he wanted to confirm it by their brothers' own word.

{42:12} And he answered them: “It is otherwise. You have come to examine the unguarded parts of this land.”
{42:13} But they said: “We, your servants, are twelve brothers, the sons of one man in the land of Canaan. The youngest is with our father; the other is not living.”
{42:14} He said: “This is just as I have said. You are scouts.
{42:15} I will now continue to put you to the test. By the health of Pharaoh, you will not depart from here, until your youngest brother arrives.
{42:16} Send one of you and bring him. But you will be in chains, until what you have said is proven to be either true or false. Otherwise, by the health of Pharaoh, you are scouts.”
{42:17} Therefore, he delivered them into custody for three days.
{42:18} Then, on the third day, he brought them out of prison, and he said: “Do as I have said, and you will live. For I fear God.
{42:19} If you are peaceful, let one of your brothers be bound in prison. Then you may go away and carry the grain that you have bought to your houses.
{42:20} And bring your youngest brother to me, so that I may be able to test your words, and you may not die.” They did as he had said,

These brothers saw themselves in trouble because they knew that their father Jacob would not let his youngest son, Benjamin, be released from him after of what happened to Joseph, the other son with his beloved wife Raquel who by now has passed away.

{42:21} and they spoke to one another: “We deserve to suffer these things, because we have sinned against our brother, seeing the anguish of his soul, when he begged us and we would not listen. For that reason, this tribulation has come upon us.”
{42:22} And Reuben, one of them, said: “Did not I say to you, ‘Do not sin against the boy,’ and you would not listen to me? See, his blood is exacted.”

The brothers actually wanted to kill young Joseph years before this, but it was Reuben, the oldest brother, who spoke against it. In consequence, Joseph was sold but given for "dead". Even though, the exterior act of physically murdering Joseph did not happen because Reuben stood against it, the other brothers sinned mortally for actually wanting to do it (they killed their brother in their hearts and mind).

{42:23} But they did not know that Joseph understood, because he was speaking to them through an interpreter.
{42:24} And he turned himself away briefly and wept. And returning, he spoke to them.

Joseph was not speaking to his brothers in Hebrew, he spoke to them through an interpreter, so their brothers thought that he was just another Egyptian leader who does know speak their language.

{42:25} And taking Simeon, and binding him in their presence, he ordered his ministers to fill their sacks with wheat, and to replace each one’s money in their sacks, and to give them, in addition, provisions for the way. And they did so.

Simeon, the second oldest, was taken into custody until they bring Benjamin to Egypt.

{42:26} Then, having loaded their donkeys with the grain, they set out.
{42:27} And one of them, opening a sack to give his beast of burden fodder at the inn, looked upon the money at the sack’s mouth,
{42:28} and he said to his brothers: “My money has returned to me. See, it is held in the sack.” And they were astonished and troubled, and they said to one another, “What is this that God has done to us?”

They were astonished to see that their money has been returned (they didn't know how that happened), besides the food that they were carrying.

{42:29} And they went to their father Jacob in the land of Canaan, and they explained to him all the things that had befallen them, saying:
{42:30} “The lord of the land spoke harshly to us, and he considered us to be scouts of the province.
{42:31} And we answered him: ‘We are peaceful, and we do not intend any treachery.
{42:32} We are twelve brothers conceived of one father. One is not living; the youngest is with our father in the land of Canaan.’

When they say that "one of their brothers is not living", at this point, they may have convinced themselves that their brother Joseph is dead, even though they never saw him die.

{42:33} And he said to us: ‘Thus will I prove that you are peaceful. Release one of your brothers to me, and take necessary provisions for your houses, and go away,
{42:34} and bring your youngest brother to me, so that I may know that you are not scouts. And this one, who is held in chains, you may be able to receive again. And thereafter, you shall have permission to buy what you want.’ ”
{42:35} Having said this, when they poured out their grain, each found his money tied to the mouth of his sack. And all were terrified together.
{42:36} Their father Jacob said, “You have caused me to be without children. Joseph is not living, Simeon is held in chains, and Benjamin you would carry away. All these evils have fallen back upon me.”
{42:37} And Reuben answered him, “Put my two sons to death, if I do not lead him back to you. Deliver him into my hand, and I will restore him to you.”
{42:38} But he said: “My son will not go down with you. His brother is dead, and he is left alone. If any adversity will befall him in the land to which you travel, you would lead my grey hairs down with sorrow to the grave.”

These brothers were suffering the consequence of their great sin done against Joseph.